Critical infrastructures as sites of conflict over state legitimacy: The case of Hargeisa Airport in Somaliland, Northern Somalia

Tahir, Abdifatah Ismael

doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2021.06.019

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 64 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This literature emphasizes authority's role as part of a relational dynamic between heterogenous groups of state actors and residents, in which state power can become more or less legitimate over time. Legitimacy, then, can be identified through statements of trust in the state or the 'popular response' of urban residents to the state (Tahir, 2021). Residents' evaluations of authority may reflect a social contract, one that shapes their expectations regarding the responsibilities of the state.…”

Section: State-resident Relations and Infrastructurementioning

confidence: 99%

The heterogeneous politics of infrastructure: Claims of authority in Accra’s drainage

Foli

2023

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In many parts of the world, the modernist ideal of centralised and networked infrastructure provided by the state remains just that – an ideal. Instead, the reality is a patchwork of infrastructural solutions engineered by both state and private actors. While critical studies have highlighted how states use infrastructure projects to legitimize their authority, how do infrastructure projects shape relations between the state and urban residents when the state is not the sole actor in building and maintaining infrastructure? Drawing on scholarship on the socio-material dynamics of infrastructure, this article examines infrastructure’s politics in Accra’s drainage system. Studying these material interventions shows that drainage is politicised with state actors, aspiring politicians, and urban residents advancing and evaluating performances of authority in relation to this infrastructure. This politicization of drainage infrastructure reproduces patterns of urban socio-economic inequality. As residents experience the consequences of each other’s actions, they recognize the need for a centralised approach to tackle drainage problems and express a desire for the state to assume responsibility. Although ‘heterogeneous infrastructure configurations’ more accurately captures the reality on the ground in rapidly growing cities such as Accra, this analysis of everyday infrastructural politics helps explain why expectations of centrally organized drainage infrastructure persist.

show abstract

Section: State-resident Relations and Infrastructurementioning

confidence: 99%

The heterogeneous politics of infrastructure: Claims of authority in Accra’s drainage

Foli

2023

Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The secondary corridor's road network has been continuously strengthened since the end of the 2000s, which bodes well for its change of status and the possible capture of traffic in the Djibouti area. For Somaliland, there is also a major political question at stake, since asserting itself as a state and partner of Ethiopia allows it to partially guarantee its sovereignty in the face of a still non-functional federal Somalia, as well as to further assert its status on the international scene (Stepputat & Hagmann, 2019;Tahir, 2021). Finally, the position of the port of Assab remains open to speculation.…”

Section: The Emergence Of Berbera and The Assab Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

The corridors of landlocked Ethiopia

Guiziou

2023

Maritime Ports, Supply Chains and Logistics Corridors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Following the loss of access to its Eritrean ports (Assab and Massawa), Ethiopia has been a landlocked state. The large majority of its economic activities are concentrated around the capital area, which benefits from strong road and rail links to the port of Djibouti and, to a lesser extent, to the port of Berbera (Somaliland). In an effort to reduce its dependence on intermediary states, Ethiopia is striving to develop alternative routes with neighbouring countries that have costal access, such as Sudan and Kenya. Thanks to massive public investment and support from external actors-particularly the People's Republic of China-Ethiopia's access-diversification strategy is making headway. However, progress is hampered considerably by its internal and regional security situation.

show abstract

“…In Somalia, Radio Hargeysa coverage is limited to the capital, while Radio Horyaal broadcasts from Brussels. In July 2009, the Somali government arrested the news editor and station manager for airing a clan land dispute Tahir, (2021). This is the scenario of Radio Stations in the world today.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Vernacular Radio Regulatory Policies on Peacebuilding During 2007, 2012, and 2017 Conflicts in Presidential Elections in Kisumu County, Kenya

Taro

Ndati²,

Mataba³

2022

Int. j. geopolit. gov.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the Ramogi Vernacular FM Radio Station and peacebuilding interventions during conflicts arising from presidential elections in 2007, 2012, and 2017. Specifically, the study aimed to assess the impact of Vernacular Radio regulatory editorial policies on peacebuilding. The study was guided by Agenda setting theory. The study used a mixed method (triangulation) research design. Purposive, Stratified, and Simple random sampling techniques were used to select the sample size of 384 respondents. However, 345 (89.8%) respondents from the sample were injected into the study whereby 104 were Head teachers of Primary Schools; 44 principals of secondary schools; 7 Sub-County Administrators; 67 Market Chairpersons; 38 supermarket Proprietors: 56 Bodaboda (Motor Cycle) Operators; 25 Bodaboda Sacco Chairpersons in Kisumu County and 4 Media Persons returned questionnaires and a ration of 1:10 was interviewed. Data for the study was collected by the use of questionnaires, interview schedules, and document analysis. Pearson’s r for the reliability of piloted data was +0.89 for educationists and +0.82 for business fraternity which indicated good internal consistency. Quantitative data was analysed through descriptive and inferential statistics and presented using tables and pie charts. Qualitative data was thematically analysed using NVIVO and presented through thematic narratives, which involved the identification and interpretation of patterns and themes whereby inferential statistics were used to gauge influence. The finding showed that the media outlets freely broadcast to residents. Further, social actors’ utterances were not monitored and this was a recipe for chaotic outcomes. This research recommended that there is a need for policy formulation to fill gaps in media policies to facilitate freedom of the press, need for political accountability, and need to adapt inter-cultural dialogue to enhance social cohesion.

show abstract

Critical infrastructures as sites of conflict over state legitimacy: The case of Hargeisa Airport in Somaliland, Northern Somalia

Cited by 8 publications

References 64 publications

The heterogeneous politics of infrastructure: Claims of authority in Accra’s drainage

The heterogeneous politics of infrastructure: Claims of authority in Accra’s drainage

The corridors of landlocked Ethiopia

Impact of Vernacular Radio Regulatory Policies on Peacebuilding During 2007, 2012, and 2017 Conflicts in Presidential Elections in Kisumu County, Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About